The invention, as outlined in the following narrative, is a variation of a molded plastic industrial container of a type in common usage today for the containment and shipping of various substances including, but not limited to, foods and foodstuffs, paints, oils, solvents, and other industrial chemicals. Generally, the container and lid are injection molded from a commodity plastic compound such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene and typically utilize a gasket of compressible foam or rubber between the contact surfaces of the pail and cover to form a liquid tight seal. Containers of this type typically fall within the capacity ranges of 1 gallon up to 10 gallons.
FIG. 1 depicts a prior art pail and lid. The general container configuration in common usage today is comprised of a wide mouth pail commonly referred to as an “openhead” pail, and a lid which affixes over the pail opening. Installation of the lid 1 is accomplished by applying axial pressure to the top of the lid, forcing its mechanical latching features to expand radially over corresponding latching features on the pail until it locates axially into its final position and the latching features relax into corresponding undercuts in the pail exterior. It is noted that the term “pail” is used broadly herein and does not necessarily require that the item has a handle.
The lid 1 exterior is generally comprised of a recessed center panel 6, a raised channel 7 designed to straddle the top of the pail sidewall, and an outer skirt 24 having a tear strip 8 that extends downward below the level of the panel 6. The pail exterior is generally a tapered cylinder typically having a series of satellite rings 3, 4, 5 around its upper half that may provide additional stiffness to the pail opening and protect the container in the event of a side-oriented drop. These satellite rings may be simple single ribs of plastic extending radially from the pail wall 3, 4 or they may be more geometrically complex rings 5 honeycombed with internal rib structures to provide even more stiffness. Additionally, the pail opening is topped by a thicker, rounded ring or lip 9. In a gasketed container, this pail lip provides both the pail component of the main pail-to-cover latching mechanism and the sealing surface that interfaces with the compressible foam gasket.